Air brake



March 6, 1928. 1,661,933

c. P. FARRELL AIR BRAKE Filed May 15, 1927 2 SheetsSheet' 1 9 5 O I I g l l I INVENTOR ATTOR N EY 1,661,933 c. P. FARRELL AIR BRAKE March 6, 1928.

filed May 15, 192 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR ATTORN EY Patented Mar. 6, 1928.

UNITED STATES CHETTIE P. FARRELL, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN.

AIR BRAKE.

Application filed May13, 1927. Serial 5N0. 191,174.

This invention relates to certain novel ini- PIOVBIHEIIHS in air brakes and more particularly to air brakes such as are used in lengthy multi-car trains, such as so-c-alled freight trains.

In hilly and mountainous regions, the operator or engineer of multi-car trains continuously applies the brakes when the train is on a down grade, in order to reduce the momentum. It is apparent that the greater the length of the train the greater Will be the weight and if the grade is lengthy considerablebraking will be necessary in order to control the train. Under such conditions the air supply in the air reservoirs is depleted to such an extent that the air pressure is reduced to a point so low that operation of the brakes is not possible and therefore the train is out of control.

It is therefore an object of my invention to provide an improvement in air brakes which will serve to sustain the air pressure in the reservoirs. I v

Another object of my invention is to provide an auxiliary storage reservoir in communication with the usual air reservoir in such a way that air stored therein will be permitted to enter the usual storage tank only at predetermined times.

It is well known that a certain amount of air leakage occurs in air reservoirs ofthe.

type described that is ditlicult to eliminate. In view of this it is a further object of my invention to provide an arrangement which will replenish air dissipated by leakage. Other objects will appear hereinafter. The invention consists in the novel combination andarrangement of parts to be hereinafter described and claimed.

' The invention will be best understood by reference to the ailcompanying drawings, showing the preferred form of Construction and in which:

Fig. l is an elevational view showing the preferred embodiment of my inventionf the embodiment depicted in'Fig. 1 and 4 F ig, 3 is an enlarged sectional View of a control valve for an air brake system.

In the drawings I ha ve illustrated only a portion of an air brake system, since the parts not illustrated in the drawings may be constructed and arranged tional manner. The preferred embodiment at m mam as l d n the dra air storage tank 10, which ings em odies an in any conve n ,is divided into con'lpartments'll and 12 by a partitionlii. Thetankll is the usual air reservoir of an air brake system and the compartment-s 1:2 serves as an auxiliary reser voir. A conduit l l connects the reservoirs or storage tanks 11' and 12 and provided therein are check valves 15 and which permit passage through the conduit 14 in only one direction, that is, from the tank 11 into the tank 12. f

A conduit 17 connects the tanks 11 and 12. A valve 19 which will be explained more fully hereinafter is provided in the 'con- ,duit 17. I

I have described the storage tank 11 and the auxiliary 12 as being formed in a consolidated structure but itis to be understood that these tanks mightbe made separate and that the conduits let and 17 might'be of any length'necessary to connect these-tanks.

In the drawings I have illustrated a so called triple valve, which serves to control and direct the air manta brake system. My inventioiris more particularly adapted for use in connection wherein a iargenumber of cars are coupled together. As 'is well known a. construction is provided which enables the engineer of the trainto control the brakes on theindividual cars however remote they maybe from the engine. This is' accon'iplished by the employmentofvso called triple which the one illustrated is symbolic. The intake 20 of this valve is connected to the air system of a freight train fandair with' freighttrains valves of V flows through the intake 20 into the chamber 22 oation' wlth the chamber '24. Referring more particularly to Fig.3, it will be seen 7 p that thepassag'e 28 is provided aroun'd'the. F 2 is a longitudinal sectional viewof head 26 which establishes communication which terminates in the chaiuber 11. y

In the embodiment of the invention shown between'the chamber2 5 and the passage 29 in th dmwi1'1gs "a conduit '30 extends uueugh the t nks 11 and 12 assessments communication between the triple valve and thebrake eylinderfil, which may be of aiiy desired style or type; A passage is proin the triple" valve. which. eommun'i eates with the pipe 30 and port 38' est-ab will permit air to pass munication with the chamber 29.

1 systems. Testing ,the desired pressure should such pressure '12 maybe opened toreduce the pressureto the required degree.

lishes communication between the passage 32 and :rchamber 31. A port. 35 connects the chamber 34 with the atmosphere. Then the parts are in the position shown in Fig. 3, which is the charging are fully released. A port 2-36 is provided which under certain conditions has com A check valve 37 is provided in the triple valve and whenin open position permits passage between the chamber 22 and the chamber 38. lVhen the parts are inthe position depicted in Fig,- 3 a port 39 estair. lishes communication between .the chamber 3 8 and the chamber 29. i

i As stated, when the parts are in the posh tion, depicted in ,Fig. the valve is 3-1? ranged to permit. the storing ot' air in the tank 11. i The air will pass in through the intake 20; chamber 22. passage 23, chamber 24, into chamber 25 and will force the head 26 back and thus open the passage 28, which through the passage 29 into the storage tank 11. I A hand'operated valve 40 is when this valve is in open the conduitl land position air. will flow from the chamber 11 into the chamber 12 through the conduit 11 during the time when the triple valve is in chargingposition. As it has been stated thecheck valves 15am} 16 prevent'air flowing through the conduit 1 1 from the tank 12 into the tank 11. As soonas air is stored in the tank 12 a pressure will be built up whiehwill prevent air flowing throughthe conduit 17 and the tank 11 into the tank 12, since thevalve 19 isso arranged. It is apparentthat any. airstored in the tank 12 will be retainedtherein until the valve 19 functions'to permit its flowing into the tank 11. A hand operated valve 41 is provided .in the conduit 17 which is preferably opened and closed at the same time the valve 10 is arrangcd, these valves only bemgcloscd at tunes when the auxiliary tank 12 is deemed Relief valves 42 and 43 are provided on the tanks 11 and 12 respectively. These rclict valves are similar to the relief valvesv at present used on air storage tanks of air brake valves 44 and 45 are provided on the tanks 11 and 12 and are adapt ed to have applied thereto testing gauges for ascertaining the air pressure within the tanks; To adjust the valve 19 for the depassing therethrough a the valve 4-1 to indicate within the tank 11 and be excessive the valve sired air pressure gauge is applied to "Drain cocks 46 fill (147 arejprovided in the tanks 11 and 12 respectively for purposes welliunderstood in the art.

position, the brakesprovided in apparent that the from the tank 12 into the tank wh e hi w s pe e he r k Q a train,the engineer operates his .control valve so as to reduce the pressure in the air A valve. Thisreduces the pressure in the chamber 25 and permits the head 26 to close the passage 28. Movementof the head 26 also movesthe valve structure 27 which moves the chamber 31 out of engagement with the port 33 and thus closes the brake system to atmospheric pressure. The port 36 will register with the port 33 and will permit the air in thetank 11 to flow through the ports 36 and 33, passage 32, and pipe 230 into the brake cylinder 31 and causeactuationof he brake operating members. Othcr actions may take place in the triple valve, butthe fpregoingis suflicient to evplain how the air contained inst/he tank operates the brakes. urther the triple valve is arranged for ,quick acting oremergency working and also arranged so that air mav be supplicd to the brake cylinder in any other manner, but since these things constitute no part of my i vention I shall not describevthem in detail hercin. p p

I have explained how air is withdrawn from thereservoir 11 and it is apparent it the brake system as to produce a braking, condition the air supply ifnythe tank 11 will he depleted. Since it cannot be replenished until after the brakeshave been .tully released so as to permit the valve to assume its charging position andfurthcrto permit the air pres sure to be built up in the train air line. I have, to alleviate this condition, provided the tank12. When the pressure in the tank 11 falls to a predetermined vlow point, the valve 19 opens. Since this valve is adapted to be held closed by the air pressure in tank 11 it is valve 19.is pressure controlled As soonas' suflicient air has been drawn from the tank 12 to buildup the pressure in the tank 11 the valve'19 will close.

At the start of the operation of the apparatus, a small quant'ty-of air will travel thronghjtheconduit 17 from the tank 11. into the tank 12 but, as soon as s'ufiicent air is stored in the tank 12 to build up a pressure, the valve 19 will function so as to prevent further air flowing through this conduit. Therefore, normally, the airtravel is "tuiiclirectional,fthat 's, it is in one direction only for the air travels from the tank 11 into the tank12 through the conduit 14 and 11 through the conduit 17 these parts forming a circuit through which the travel is in only one direction.

. The tank'12' is constructedof asize sulfi- "ci'ent to contain a reserveofair suflicientto maintain proper air pressure on very long Hill completely exhausted ance with the topography of the roadbed.

It is apparent that I have produced a device which will obviate the likelihood of the brake system of a freight train being and therefore the engineer Will be able to control the train under all conditions even at the end of an extremely long down grade run. c

The double chamber auxiliary air reservoir for freight cars-insures better train control more especially 'on long trains or on trains that are operated through mountainous country.

While I have illustrated and described the preferred form of construction for carrying my invention into effect, this is ca pable of variation and modification, Without departing from the spirit of the invention. I, therefore, do not Wish to be limited to the precise details of construction set forth, but desire to avail myself of such variations and modifications as come within the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention What I claim as new and desire to protect by Letters Patent is:

1. An air brake system including an air storage tank, an auxiliary tank, means con necting said tanks forming a circuit afforch ing free communication in one direction in one part of the circuit and affording controlled communication in another part.

2. An air brake system including an air storage tank, an auxiliary storage tank, conduits connecting said tanks, one of said conduits affording communication in only one mitting direction, the otherof said conduits affording regulated communication only in one direction.

3. An air brake system including an air storage tank, an auxiliary tank, a conduit connecting said tanks embodying means permitting passage only from said storage tank into said auxiliary tank, another conduit connecting said tanks embodying means permittingpassage only from said auxiliary tank into said storage tank.

4. An air brake system including an "air storage tank, an auxiliary tank, a conduit connecting said tanks embodying means pertank into said auxiliary tank, another conduit connecting said tanks embodying means permitting'passage only from said auxiliary tank into said storage tank, the means in said second mentioned conduit being pressure controlled and permitting passage only at predetermined times. I

5. A device of the class described includmg a tank divided into separate compart ments, and conduits connecting said compartments, each conduit afi'ording communication in only one direction.

6.'A device of the class described including a. tank divided into separate compartments, and conduits connecting said compartments, each conduit affording communication in only one direction, one of said conduits embodying means only at predetermined times.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

GHETTIE P. FARRELL.

passage only from said storage permitting passage 

